Abstract: The invention relates to a data transmission unit for high bit-rate optical data signals, in particular, high bit-rate optical data signals with a backplane, which has a line structure connecting several plug-in positions for several receiver or transceiver cards to each other and/or to one or more additional data processing cards, with the cards, each held in one of the plug-in positions and each having at least one input port for a high bit-rate data signal. Each card also has at least one output port, to which the relevant one or more high bit-rate data signals can be fed, and each of these output ports is connected via a serial data line between the plug-in position holding the relevant receiver or transceiver card and an input port of a central selection unit with the relevant input port. The output ports connect serially to the central selection unit.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a game play input preferably in a gaming network. This game play input specifies a wager in a primary game in which a player is participating through the network, and is typically entered through a player station connected in the network. A secondary game play is generated in response to the game play input. This generation of the secondary game play is separate from any actions taken in the gaming network in connection with the primary game in response to the game play input. The secondary game play includes one or more entries in a secondary game that is distinct from the primary game, and the number of entries included in the secondary game play is determined by the wager in the primary game. Each entry included in the secondary game play is associated with a chance in the secondary game and is ultimately analyzed to identify a result of the secondary game play for the secondary game.

Abstract: A gaming system (40) according to the present invention includes a number of gaming machines (10), each gaming machine including a single player game presentation arrangement that may be reconfigured to provide any one of a number of game presentations. In addition to the gaming machines (10) the present gaming system (40) includes a system configuration arrangement (51) and a game modification controller (50). The system configuration arrangement (51) produces system configuration commands based either on manual inputs, system usage information, or various information related to one or more players in a gaming facility. The game modification controller (50) included in preferred forms of the gaming system receives the system configuration commands and in response to the commands, communicates presentation switching instructions to one or more gaming machines (10) included in the system.

Abstract: Game play requests in a bingo gaming system are associated with different play characteristic classes and collected into different game play groups simultaneously according to play characteristic class. Once a sufficient number of game play requests are collected in a respective game play group, a bingo game is conducted with the respective game play group and results are returned to the players associated with that game play group. Play characteristic class may be defined on the basis of the speed at which players take any required actions to claim results in a game so that players who may take the required actions relatively slowly will not be grouped for games with players who may take the required actions relatively quickly.

Abstract: A stackable roll container, in particular, for transporting foods, cosmetic articles, or other articles in large bundles. The stackable roll container includes a preferably rectangular bottom component, with transport rollers mounted on the underside. The stackable roll container also includes two attachment walls located opposite each other on opposite lateral sides of the bottom component. Each attachment wall extends upwardly from an upper side of the bottom component and has a respective rear vertical end brace which is offset from a vertical base plane of the respective attachment wall. Each attachment wall also includes a lower horizontal base brace adjoining the respective rear vertical end brace for that attachment wall.

Abstract: A gaming machine includes a cabinet defining an enclosure volume with a cabinet front opening. A main door is pivotally connected at its upper end to the cabinet so as to be pivotable with respect to the cabinet between a closed position and an open position. In the open position the lower end of the main door is pivoted upwardly and away from the cabinet to expose the enclosure volume in the main portion of the cabinet. A button panel or button panel and armrest structure is mounted at the lower end of the main door, and extends in a plane lying at an angle to the remainder of the main door so as to project outwardly from the cabinet when the main door is in the closed position. A lower door of the gaming machine has a lower end which is ako pivotally connected to the cabinet so as to be pivotable with respect to the cabinet between a closed position and an open position.

Abstract: Bonus designations are considered along with the regular game designations to distinguish between different pattern result levels in a bingo game. A set of one or more bonus designations is selected. Each bonus designation included in the set of bonus designations may be selected from the same pool of bingo designations from which the bingo card designations and game designations are selected. The set of bonus designations is applied to distinguish between a number of pattern result levels associated with each winning pattern that may be achieved in the bingo game and to identify a particular one of the pattern result levels for the respective player/game play request. A prize for each respective player/game play request is awarded based on the pattern result level identified for the respective player/game play request.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for monitoring an optical amplifier, in particular, an optical fiber amplifier which has an optical input port and an optical output port. The optical pumping power of the amplifier is presumed to be directly proportional to the electrical pumping current, with a proportionality constant that decreases over time due to degradation. The functional dependence of the optical pumping power on the optical input signal power or the optical output signal power is determined at least for the predetermined nominal value of the optical gain. These relationships may be combined with certain measured values to determine the instantaneous optical pumping power, the instantaneous proportionality constant, and the maximum values for the optical input and output signal powers. These calculated parameters may be used to ensure that an increase of input power will not reduce the optical gain.

Abstract: A processing device measures the time it takes for a player to take some action in a game and bases the award or result in the game for the player at least in part on that measured time. A player receives a more desirable result or outcome for a particular game play in response to a shorter player action time and/or receives a less desirable result or outcome for a particular game play in response to a longer player action time. Providing more desirable results for shorter player action times or less desirable results for longer player action times provides players an incentive that influences them to take the appropriate player actions more quickly.

Abstract: A gaming machine cabinet has a cabinet door is pivotaliy connected thereto and movable between a closed and open positions. A cabinet door button panel includes a panel support surface opposite the door's inner side, a capture structure at a first boundary of a button panel opening, and a blocking structure at a button panel second boundary opposite the first boundary. A button panel base has a first edge received in a button panel frame capture structure, and second edge received on the panel support surface. A locking flange with a locking projection extends from the button panel base lower side, the locking projection moveable between extended and retracted positions. With the button panel base in an operating position, a locking projection may he placed in the extended position to contact the blocking structure and thereby retain the button panel base in the operating position.

Abstract: A process includes contacting a feathered poultry carcass with an ammonia-based treatment material to increase the pH at the skin of the carcass and thereby effect a loosening of the feathers on the carcass. After the contact with the ammonia-based treatment material, mild heat may be applied to the feathered carcass to further loosen the feathers. The prepared feathered carcass is then defeathered in a suitable defeathering process. Ammonia may be removed from the carcass before, after, and/or during defeathering. The defeathered carcass is then passed on for further processing to produce the final poultry product.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring a data transmission link, especially an optical, bidirectional data transmission link, in which a digital transmit signal is transmitted on a first transmission path from a local end of the data transmission link toward a remote end of the data transmission link. A portion of the power of the transmit signal sent at the local end is transmitted, delayed by a non-zero delay time on a second transmission path as a control signal toward the remote end of the data transmission link. Both signals are received at the remote end and are tested for the presence of events of a predetermined type. A conclusion can be reached on the quality of the transmission link as a function of a time correlation and frequency of the appearance of events in the received transmit signal and in the received control signal.

Abstract: A method includes operating a bingo player station in a first play mode in which the result for a respective bingo game play initiated through the bingo player station is assigned according to a first pattern list. In response to detecting a trigger event, the bingo player station is switched from the first play mode to a second play mode and then the bingo player station is operated in this second play mode. In the second play mode, the result for a respective bingo game play initiated through the bingo player station is assigned according to a second pattern list. The bingo player station is switched from the second play mode to the first play mode in response to a return event. Both the first pattern list and the second pattern list may share at least one result level and at least one common result indicator. However, the two pattern lists are different so that a given bingo pattern correlated to a prize in one of the pattern maps may correlate to a different prize or no prize in the other pattern map.

Abstract: A method for producing carbon nanostructures according to the invention includes injecting acetylene gas into a reactant liquid. The injected acetylene molecules are then maintained in contact with the reactant liquid for a period of time sufficient to break the carbon-hydrogen bonds in at least some of the acetylene molecules, and place the liberated carbon ions in an excited state. This preferred method further includes enabling the liberated carbon ions in the excited state to traverse a surface of the reactant liquid and enter a collection area. Collection surfaces are provided in the collection area to collect carbon nanostructures.

Abstract: An automated software testing system allows automated test script generation with fully parameterized scripts, execution, and result correlation in a recreatable and adaptable manner. A software Application Under Test (AUT) is identified and includes a process having Graphical User Interface (GUI) windows, objects and data elements. A test thread tree is generated corresponding to the windows, objects and data elements in the process. A grid is generated to enumerate test cases indicative of the windows, objects and data elements in the AUT process. Also generated is a parameterized script indicative of each of the test cases and having string values instead of hard-coded data of the AUT process. A global change manager automates modifying in the grid, data object attributes across multiple scripts. A Scenario view or data generation member generates Test Descriptions and automates documentation of test cases based on the script.

Abstract: A method for producing carbon nanostructures according to the invention includes injecting acetylene gas into a reactant liquid. The injected acetylene molecules are then maintained in contact with the reactant liquid for a period of time sufficient to break the carbon-hydrogen bonds in at least some of the acetylene molecules, and place the liberated carbon ions in an excited state. This preferred method further includes enabling the liberated carbon ions in the excited state to traverse a surface of the reactant liquid and enter a collection area. Collection surfaces are provided in the collection area to collect carbon nanostructures.

Abstract: Device for the transport and weighing of letters, wherein the letter is conveyed between at least two conveyance elements and is stabilized laterally outside the conveyance elements by at least one guide element so that a deflection or fluttering of the letter can be reduced or avoided, at least when the letter is seized at its front edge by the transport elements.

Abstract: A safety device is provided having a clamping system that uses pressure admission into a chamber of a clamp element dependent on the position of a weight to be carried relative to the clamping system. For this purpose a valve is provided in a medium supply line, which valve is to be opened or closed by means of a movable actuation element. Here, the actuation element should be movable in the same direction in which the weight moves, preferably in a vertical direction. As a result of the arrangement of such a valve, the device couples the vertical movement or position of the weight with an actuation of the valve, and thus to provide an additional control for the pressure admission into the chamber or the clamping force resulting therefrom. A preferred chamber has curved top and bottom walls that elongate with a pressure drop.

Abstract: A circuit for transmitting signals in a network node, particularly for a channel card for an optical WDM signal transmission device, with a first holding device assigned to the local side of the network node, which can be freely equipped by means of a local-side transceiver unit and which has an internal transmitting port connection and an internal receiving port connection which, in case first holding device is equipped with local-side transceiver unit, are connected to the respective transmitting or receiving ports of local-side transceiver unit, with two additional holding devices assigned to the remote side of the network node having similar ports. A controllable signal switching unit is provided with novel construction to configure connections between the respective internal ports.

Abstract: A satellite receiving antenna at a user location receives satellite signals at a first frequency from a satellite. The satellite signals travel along a satellite signal route encompassed within an aperture of the satellite receiving antenna. A terrestrial transmitter transmits signals at the first frequency along a wireless transmission route from the transmitter to the user location. The terrestrial transmitter is located with respect to the user location so that the wireless transmission route is outside of the aperture of the satellite receiving antenna. Also the terrestrial transmission power is controlled so that the terrestrial signals present at the user location result in terrestrial input signals from the satellite receiving antenna which are below an interference signal power level with respect to satellite input signals produced by the satellite receiving antenna. Thus, the terrestrial signals do not interfere with the satellite signals even though they are transmitted at a common frequency.